by HollyThis easy Chicken Marsala recipe is even better than what you would get in a fancy Italian restaurant, and a lot less expensive too! If you ever need an entrée to impress dinner guests or make a family celebration special, you can’t go wrong by serving Chicken Marsala.
We love this creamy chicken marsala served over pasta with a side of fresh bread and garlic butter and a big fresh Italian Salad.
Chicken Marsala
What is Chicken Marsala? It is an Italian-inspired dish very popular in restaurants often found on the menu next to Chicken Parmesan. Chicken Marsala is made with chicken breast fillets lightly browned and submerged in a rich Chicken Marsala mushroom sauce.
The extraordinary tastiness of the dish is owing to the Marsala wine, which is the foundation ingredient of the sauce. Marsala, in case you are wondering, is a Sicilian fortified wine, similar to sherry or port. It comes in both sweet and dry versions (you want to buy dry Marsala for this recipe). Other Chicken Marsala ingredients include mushrooms, shallots (or onion), thyme and butter.
The best Chicken Marsala uses chicken fillets, which you can buy, or you can make them yourself if you only have whole breasts. To fillet yourself, follow these steps:
- Start with boneless, skinless breasts and your sharpest thin bladed knife.
- Using a paper towel, firmly grab and hold the thinnest end of the breast.
- Slice toward the thickest end, horizontally, so you wind up with two even halves.
That’s all there is to it! Now you’re ready to make the best Chicken Marsala recipe ever.
How to Make Chicken Marsala
Chicken Marsala comes together in a few stages. Here’s all you do:
- Pound the fillets to ¼ inch thickness and dredge in flour.
- Cook on the stove top in a bit of olive oil for a few minutes. Set chicken aside.
- In the same pan, add the shallots and thyme until tender, then add the sliced mushrooms and cook until juices release.
- Add the Marsala wine and remaining sauce ingredients and reduce. Serve with the chicken.
If that doesn’t sound rich and delicious enough already, you can up the ante by making creamy Chicken Marsala (although not traditional, it is delicious). Substitute 1/3 cup of heavy cream for the same amount of chicken broth for a truly sublime experience.
Or, you can get really fancy and make stuffed Chicken Marsala:
- Dredge the fillets in flour on only one side
- On the bare side, layer slices of prosciutto and a slab of low-moisture mozzarella
- Fold in half or roll and fasten tightly with toothpicks. Then proceed with the recipe described here.
At the other end of the spectrum, you can make a crock pot Chicken Marsala. You don’t even have to fillet the breasts for this version. Just place all the ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for four hours or on low for six. Then make a cornstarch and water slurry to thicken the sauce, and serve over pasta, for a super yummy and easy dinner.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
- Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast – elegant and simple
- Baked Chicken Thighs – easy and juicy as can be
- Chicken Parmesan Casserole – love casseroles!
- Creamy Chicken Enchiladas – so delcious!
- Chicken Lasagna – comfort food
What to Serve With Chicken Marsala
Chicken Marsala sauce is very rich and flavorful, and a starch completes the meal perfectly. You can serve it over angel hair pasta to fill the plate.
You might try buttered noodles or orzo pasta on the side if you’d prefer. To complete the presentation, plate it up with some roasted broccoli or roasted Brussels sprouts. And don’t forget a crusty, rustic bread, or 30 Minute Dinner Rolls to sop up the sauce. Your dinner guests and family will be in heaven!
Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts boneless-skinless 5-6 oz each
- 1/2 cup flour
- salt & pepper to taste
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- 1 small shallot diced (or onion)
- 8 ounces mushrooms white or brown
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup Marsala wine
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons parsley or chives for garnish
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Instructions
Pound chicken to 1/4" thick (you can cut them in half if they're very large). Season with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.
Preheat olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Cook chicken in batches, 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove chicken and place on a plate.
In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons butter, thyme and shallot. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until juices are released, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour 1 1/2 tablespoons flour and cook 1 minute more.
Add Marsala wine and broth and simmer about 3 minutes, until thickened and bubbly.
Place chicken back into the pan and simmer 2-3 minutes or until hot.
- Garnish and serve over pasta.
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
